Oscar Wilde Trivia

1. What is Basil Hallward's profession?

From Quiz The Picture of Dorian Gray

Answer: Painter

London artist Basil Hallward speaks to Lord Henry Wotton about his newest portrait, one of young, local subject Dorian Gray. It's an odd painting, Basil claims, as he sees much of himself in it. After all, when he met Gray he had a feeling that Fate had joys and sorrow ready for him. It'll be the greatest work of his life, he states, but the public should never see it. With comments like this, it comes as no surprise that Lord Henry is so eager to meet Mr. Gray (despite Basil's apprehension). The meeting proves interesting as Lord Henry and a naive Dorian Gray hit it off. It's undeniable that Gray is a unique individual but Lord Henry's influence has a clear effect. Henry recommends that Gray give in to temptation because to resist will make him sick with longing. In the garden outside, Lord Henry warns him not to squander his natural beauty. When the painting is completed, Gray agrees that it's beautiful but he wishes that it could grow old instead of him. Real life beauty fades, but the masterpiece will retain him as he is. It's pure jealousy, he says; every second he ages, the painting takes something from him and gives it to itself.

From Quiz The Importance of Being Earnest

Answer: Cucumber sandwiches

All these foods are mentioned in the play but cucumber sandwiches are Lady Bracknell's favorite. She doesn't get to try them because Algernon eats them all before she arrives.

From Quiz Quotations from Oscar Wilde and his works

Answer: he does not love her

The quote is from Wilde's signature novel "The Picture of Dorian Grey." Wilde often pointed out the hypocrisies and idiosyncrasies of the English societal conventions of his day through his characters. The novel was published in 1891. In it, a young, handsome man is influenced by a rakish, well-to-do English gentleman, to pursue a dissolute life of pleasure. Along the way he bargains his soul for eternal youth, and his sins and indiscretions are recorded on a portrait of himself rather than his face. He breaks the heart of a poor nightclub singer, who kills herself, and he eventually suffers dire consequences.

From Quiz Dorian Gray Trivia: It Never Gets Old!

Answer: Basil Hallward

The novel opens with Basil's initial refusal to show his work publicly. He initially claims that he put too much of himself into the painting, before admitting his infatuation with Dorian Gray.

From Quiz 'The Selfish Giant' - Oscar Wilde

Answer: The Giant

To imaginative people, reading the garden's description can give them sweet dreams forever. The grass is green and glistening. There are a dozen peach trees, which break into pretty blossoms in spring. The children used to play in the garden after coming back from school.

From Quiz An Ideal Husband

Answer: Octagon room in Sir Robert Chiltern's house

Lady Chiltern stands at the top of the staircase, ready to receive her evening guests.

From Quiz The Importance of Knowing Your Lines

Answer: Algernon

Algernon makes this observation to Jack when Jack says that he is planning to propose to Gwendolen.

From Quiz Wilde About Poetry

Answer: Donna

"La Bella Donna Della Mia Mente" is Italian for The Beautiful Lady Of My Memory. The poem discusses a knight's love for his lady. Oscar Wilde describes the woman in the poem as pale and beaten.

From Quiz Dorian Gray

Answer: Sibyl

Dorian tells Lord Harry he fell in love with Sibyl Vane when he saw her in "Romeo and Juliet". She killed herself when Dorian broke off their engagement. Hetty was a pure village girl whom he cared for later in the novel.

From Quiz Oscar Wilde: General Knowledge

Answer: Children

The first production of "A Woman of No Importance" was in April 1893 and marked the beginning of Wilde's rise in popularity.

From Quiz The Chapters of Dorian Gray: Part One

Answer: Lady Brandon's

Lady Brandon had many people over to her house to listen to some pianists. Basil and Dorian made eye contact and there was an instant connection.

From Quiz Who's Who in "The Picture of Dorian Gray"

Answer: Basil Hallward

Basil Hallward is a great painter who uses Dorian Gray as his muse.

From Quiz Lady Windermere's Fan

Answer: red and white

They symbolise Lady Windermere's naivety and innocence, and Mrs Erlynne's passion. Wilde seems to believe that a little of both is required in everyone. Their color is not specified in the text at this point, but is referred to later.

From Quiz The Picture of Dorian Gray

Answer: London

This novel takes place in London, England. It is set in the late 19th century.

From Quiz The Importance of Being Earnest

Answer: Half-Moon Street, W

Algernon Moncrieff resides in London on Half-Moon Street, W. Jack (also known as John) Worthing resides at the Manor House in Woolton.

From Quiz Finish the Quote: Wilde Style

Answer: pays no attention at all to her lessons

Jack says this to Algernon after he decides that his 'brother' Ernest will "be carried off suddenly in Paris, by a severe chill". To this, Algy asks whether Cecily will "feel his loss a good dead".

From Quiz "The Importance of Being Earnest" Quotes

Answer: Lady Bracknell

In a conversation with Algernon in Act 1, Lady Bracknell gives her view on people who 'shilly shally' with the question of life and death.

From Quiz Oscar Wilde's "The Picture of Dorian Gray"

Answer: 1891

"Lady Windemere's Fan" was published in 1892; "A Woman of No Importance" was published in 1893; and I just picked 1888 for Jack the Ripper's sake!

From Quiz The Importance of Being Earnest

Answer: the smoking room

I'm sorry about the substitution of a 0 for an o . . . the filter dragon seems to have a natural aversion to that word. Algernon. Bring me that cigarette case Mr. Worthing left in the sm0king-room the last time he dined here. "Lane. Yes, sir. [Lane goes out.] "Jack. Do you mean to say you have had my cigarette case all this time? I wish to goodness you had let me know. I have been writing frantic letters to Scotland Yard about it. I was very nearly offering a large reward."

From Quiz The Importance of Knowing the Answers

Answer: Augusta

Yes, presumbably because she is so august.

From Quiz The Picture of Dorian Gray

Answer: Romeo and Juliet

After their meeting, Dorian and Lord Henry hit it off and spend time with one another. Lord Henry speaks to relatives to learn more about the young man he's taken under his wing and, at a later social gathering, Dorian is convinced to follow along with the lord who is, for all intents, his opposite. Perhaps he could learn from this interesting individual. A month passes and one day, while seeking a form of beauty in grey and miserable London, Gray wanders into a theatre and witnesses a young woman by the name of Sibyl Vane performing in 'Romeo and Juliet' on stage. To Lord Henry he professes his admiration of the actress and, to the lord's shock (but perhaps as a result of his own words), Gray announces his engagement to her via a letter.

From Quiz The Importance of Being Earnest

Answer: His ward

Cecily is the daughter of the late Mr Thomas Cardew who adopted Jack Worthing when he discovered him in a handbag given to him in mistake for his own. Under the terms of Cardew's will, Cecily is Jack's ward until she is 35.

From Quiz Quotations from Oscar Wilde and his works

Answer: to yield to it

Lord Henry Wotten, the mouthpiece for Wilde's hedonistic philosophy, seems to constantly egg on Dorian Grey to generally go for it in life and "yield to temptation." In the fascinating 1945 film based on the novel, George Sanders is the perfect Wotten; dashing, decadent, debonair and cynical, but with an amazingly well expressed and consistent "live for today" life view. Angela Lansbury, only twenty at the time, is surprising as the beautiful club singer, being better known for roles later in her life such as in "Murder She Wrote."

From Quiz Dorian Gray Trivia: It Never Gets Old!

Answer: Everlasting youth

He wishes that the painting of him would bear the effects of age that would have originally befallen him. The wish was made as an offhand comment in response to Lord Henry's observation that Dorian would grow older and uglier.

From Quiz 'The Selfish Giant' - Oscar Wilde

Answer: The Cornish Ogre.

The Giant returns from his stay at his friend's place, the Cornish Ogre, and is horrified to see the children playing in his delicate garden. He chases them away and puts up a sign that says 'TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED'.

From Quiz An Ideal Husband

Answer: Because he talked about his wife the whole time

Mrs Marchmont and Lady Basildon are two of Lady Chiltern's guests. They belong to the London society.

From Quiz The Importance of Knowing Your Lines

Answer: Gwendolen

Gwendolen superiorly intones this to Cecily as they catfight over the misunderstanding that they are each engaged to the same man.

From Quiz Wilde About Poetry

Answer: Feet of clay

In Oscar Wilde's poem "Theoretikos", the mighty empire described has feet of clay. Theoretikos means contemplative. The poem comes from Oscar Wilde's book of poetry titled "Wind Flowers", put together in 1890.

From Quiz Dorian Gray

Answer: Lohengrin

Victoria Harry tells Dorian that she saw him at a performance of Wagner's "Lohengrin". She also tells Dorian that she likes Wagner because the music is so loud that you can talk the whole time without anyone hearing what you are saying.

From Quiz Oscar Wilde: General Knowledge

Answer: lifelong romance

Wilde had a few of this kind of character in his plays, thought to be a reflection of himself - a sort of pompous, self-sufficient sort of chap. In the stage prompts Goring is described as "the first well dressed philosopher."

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